


Good Deed

by Severina



Category: Oz (1997)
Genre: Community: hardtime100
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-13
Updated: 2009-12-13
Packaged: 2017-10-09 18:43:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/90380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Severina/pseuds/Severina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Toby gets a surprise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Deed

**Author's Note:**

> Season Four.  
> Prompt 24: Trick or Treat (LJ's Hardtime100 Community)

All the holidays are difficult. Christmas is the worst -- knowing that he won't be there to stumble sleepily behind the kids as they scramble down the staircase at the asscrack of dawn. He hates lying in the still silence of the pod, the only sounds his own breathing and Chris snuffling in his sleep, as he imagines Holly squealing over a new doll or Gary pumping his fists in the air at some new Tonka truck. He misses his children most on that day.

Birthdays are also hard. Independence Day, seeing Holly cover her eyes even as she squealed over each and every firecracker. Thanksgiving, their large table covered with copious amounts of food, the wine flowing, the children trying so hard to be a proper little lady and gentleman.

Hallowe'en.

"You're seeing your children today, aren't you, Tobias?" Rebadow asked.

Toby pulled his gaze away from Murphy at the guard station to focus on the older man across from him. "Should be," he said. He smoothed a hand down his thigh and forced his leg to stop jittering. "If Murphy would get his ass in gear."

"What makes you more anxious today than any other day?" Busmalis asked. "You see your kids every week, don't you?"

"Ah, but it's Hallowe'en," Rebadow answered. "Tobias has been talking about this particular visit for the last two weeks. You really need to start paying more attention, Agamemnon," he scolded gently.

"No, it's okay, Bob," Toby said with a wave of his hand. He leaned forward across the table, fingered a checker piece distractedly. "My parents are letting them get dressed up in their costumes before they come to see me. Holly's going to be a fairy queen, and Gary's going as a pirate."

"Awww, that's sweet," Busmalis said.

"It'll be the first time we've had a queen in Oz, that's for sure," Toby said. He paused, considering. "Well, unless you count Fiona."

"I heard that, sweetie," Fiona called over from another table, "and I thank you immensely."

"I don't think I was this nervous the first time they came to see me," Toby mused aloud. "They're just… they're going to be so excited. And it's like, by seeing them, I can hold a little piece of this day, and when things are going to shit I'll be able to pull it out and treasure it."

"That's a wonderful thought, Tobias," Rebadow said.

"Beecher!" Murphy called down. "You've got visitation in ten minutes!"

Toby wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers before pushing away from the table. "Here I go," he said.

"Hey, Beecher." O'Reily strode hurriedly across the quad, all loose limbs and quick steps, and shoved a brown paper bag hastily into Toby's arms. "Glad I caught ya."

Toby looked down slowly, his brow wrinkling as he unfolded the flap. For a moment he could only start dumbly at the treats nestled inside. Bite-sized versions of Kit Kats and Baby Ruths, candy kisses, O Henrys and tiny packs of M&amp;Ms, all tumbled together in the paper lunch bag. He raised his eyes to meet O'Reily's, realized that his mouth was hanging open and closed it with a snap.

His gaze shifted to Keller, who held his hands aloft and shook his head.

"What?" he managed to get out. "How--"

O'Reily lifted his shoulder. "Thought the kids would like to trick or treat with ya, that's all."

"Uh…" Toby glanced back into the bag, imagined Holly's delighted smile, Gary's eager little hands reaching for the goodies. Imagined the look of pride on his father's face.

"Hey, if you don't want 'em I can take 'em back," O'Reily said, making a move to snatch the bag out of Toby's hands.

Toby stepped back and clutched it to his chest. "Not on your life," he said.

O'Reily grinned. "Okay then."

Toby's eyes narrowed. "What do I owe you?"

"Let's just consider this my good deed for the year, shall we?"

"And I'll owe you later," Beecher said dryly.

"Nah," O'Reily answered. "I mean, sure, maybe at some point we'll be able to do some business, you'll be able to help me out. Who knows what the future holds, right?"

"Right," Beecher answered dubiously.

O'Reily shrugged. "Maybe I'll need you--"

"To be your brother?"

"I already got one of those," O'Reily said quietly. He leaned forward, lowered his voice even further. "Maybe just to be my friend."

"Beecher!" Mineo barked. "Move your ass!"

Toby started to turn, then stopped to hold out his hand. "Thank you," he said.

"Fuck, it ain't a Get Out Of Jail Free card, Beecher," Ryan said, but he clasped his palm briefly, and smiled.

Toby returned the smile, and as he turned to follow Mineo down the grey corridors, he thought that just for a moment, in that smile and in that touch, he and O'Reily weren't two cons, two addicts, two killers. They were just two men, both of whom wanted to spread a little happiness to a couple of kids on Hallowe'en day.

He thinks he'll pull that out and treasure it later, too.


End file.
